Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-10-07

s. - 55ss IS sa S< 81 81
OF GomHlerce the population nt the close of III
year 1852 was ten thousand; the sales Of mer
chandise amounted to $12 100000, the sales Q
real estate TO 100000, ana s20oo,o 600 were in
vested in buildings; Fergus Falls, Sioux Falls
and scores of other places can be named of NOR
recent origin which count their trade by mil
lions. ,:..-.~ = .,. -sE:szz,,. tst=>
!. The last named owe their wonderful progress
70 the development Of water powers. whose own
ers had the foresight to improve and foster
These facts show the spirit of enterprise which
peryades this Northwestern people and the Gag
erness with which they crowd into any place Of
fering reasonable prospect of becoming impor
tant and compete for theDurchGse of land which
appears destined to increase in value. :
The actual water power existing III Minnesota
and Dakota is not more than one-fourtlls mart o
that In New England over the same extent ol
country, for the reasons first, that the quantity
flowing over given area is not more than hall
as great, and second. that the declvities which
give rise to water power are much less frequent
The obstacles to developing water power are
FIRST, finding the natural declivity which gives
the necessary fall, and, SECOND, foundation
which prevents wearing away and constant rc-
pair resulting therefrom. As an evidence of
this, it may be here stated that at Minnea polls.
while the water power has but fall or thirty
feet II has cost considerably over million dol.
lars in repairs. This is due to the fact that
there is no ROCK roUSpATIoS sufficient to hold
the enormous volume of water. B., ,s.
LITTLE FALLS.
Consideration ofthese facts has directed attcn.
tion to the town of LITTLE FALLS. Minn., situated
on the Mississippi river, about one hundred
miles above St. Paul
Here is offered remarkably favorable site for
the development of water power. A fall Of
twenty feet can be readily obtained, besides be-
ing the ONLY WATER POWER ON THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER THAT HAS PERFECT ROCK FOUNDATION.
The company owning the property and fran
chises is known rs the LITTLE FALLS WATER
POWER COMPANY, and has recently undergone a
complete reorganization, They now have q
paid-up capital of six hundred thousand dollars
which is distributed among Eastern and Western
capitalists.
Z The Little Falls Water Power Company is now
very extensive works, which, when
finished, will give capacity Of -. ,lUNDHz,
MILL POWER, with I: mead or FALL OF TWENTY
FEET thus Making it the largest water power
next to Minneapolis, to be found in the whole
Northwest
LITTLE FALLS Is situated on the direct line OF
the Northern Pacific railroad. about one hun
drcd miles from st. Paul. There are few towns
that impress the traveller more favorably than
Little Falls. IT isthe county scat OF Morrison
County, beautifully located.
Wide streets. good sidewalks, ana avenues
lined with trees characterize the beauty of the
place, and are all evidence fits prosperity. Lit
tie Falls has two newspapers, five hotels q pub
lie hall. bank, graded school, five churches, a
grain elevator, a -four mill, two planning mills,
brewery, and q saw mill.
The only bridge crossing the Mississippi river,
between st Cloud and Braincrd. is at this point
1t was built ata cost of over 10000 dollars.
Little Falls is an important shipping point on
the railroad, and furnishes for transportation
wheat. lumber. railroad ties, wood and other
products, in which the surrounding country
abounds. There is manufactured here a very
superior quality of white hard brick, and this
branch of industry is destined to become import
ant rs one of the factors of its future develop
ment.
The town had, before the work was begun
from fifteen hundred to two thousand inhabi-
tants. Since the improvements have commenced
the people have crowded in from the surround
Ing towns and country and had there been ac-
sufficient, Little Falls would have
more than doubled its population in two months
time; as it is, start has been given to the village
that promises to continue. and to produce the
same wonderful results thut hare characterized
other places of commercial importance.
Already arrangements are being perfected to
establish another bank, with a large capital; a
building association is being formed, q beauti-
ful park has been laid out, a large and new no.
tel is being discussed and manufacturers are
coming in rapidly to avail themselves of the
enormous water-power privileges which they
will soon be in position to utilize.
Railroads.
Via the Northern Pacific railroad. which
drains region larger than the combined area
Of Germany, France. Norway, Sweden, Holland,
and Denmark, Little Falls is in connection with
water transportation at Duluth and Superior OH
the one hand, and on the other with the vast
wheat fields of Dakota and the valley of the Red
river of the North.
A second railroad line, the Little Falls l. Dako.
Ia railroad, also leads from Little Falls west
ward, connecting with the St. Paul, Minneapo-
lis & Manitoba railroad at Sauk Center and at
Norris. Wc nre enabled 10 state on good au-
Lhority, also. that the railroad from St. Paul TO
st. Cloud will be extended on the west side OF
the river to Little Falls so soon as the develop
rlcnts at the latter point are completed, Also, O
survey has just been made for a railroad from
Little Falls. via Mile Lacs, to Duluth. In case
Of extension by the Chicago, Milwaukee e. St.
Paul to Duluth, their shortest and most direct
route isthrough Little Falls; we are also assured
by the officers of the Northern Pacific road that
The extension will be built from Little Falls to
their line northwest, thereby shortening the
distance over thirty-fve miles. With these I'M
proyements. Little Falls will become very con-
railroad center. Already it is sur
by a number CT s,:all towns tributary,
and the distance of Little Falls from st. Pau,
gives it superior advantages in thi~,-~rsicular.
Among the Industries that will be immediate:
ly established here, -four and lumber will natur
ally take the first place for some time to come.
Flour.
As to the advantage of Little Falls in the -four
trade, we have only to refer to the fact that in
the year 1885 this north western region sent to
alone over thirty. two million bush
els of wheat. There is at present about two
miles from Little Falls On the river a flour mill
producing one hundred and twenty five barrels
per day, but not nearly enough to supply the
home demand.
s,-y- Lumber
Little Falls is located near the western edge of
the hardwood timber and Immediately south of
the pine timber belt which furnishes about all
of the lumber manufactured at Minneapolis and
st. Paul. The annual cut of lumber is increasing
each year. We have no statistics later than
1885, but during that year, with the exception of
d small portion which came down Rum river
from the region around Mile Laos, there came
through Little Falls 3ls, 900 feet, 101 s75 900
shingles, and So Oo0 Iaths, So far as this dc.
mand for lumber Is concerned. Little Falls will
Mt once secure an Immense proportion of it as
against Minneapolis, by Offering a saving of one
hundred miles driving by river and an addi-
tional hundred by rail. ~ 49,
y 1850, Paper. .,1 b;
/ There Is also great abundance OF the cohrser
kinds of raw materials, wood. and straw used in
the production Of paper which statistics show
can be ground by water power at profit; when
produced by steam, OF a loss. There is enormous
home consumption Of this heavy paper, which